


Seek and You Will Find

by yuletide_archivist



Category: Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2004-12-23
Updated: 2004-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 02:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,044
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1627781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post-book, Richard, Door, and the marquis investigate Islington's claims of another survivor.  Slashy only if you squint at it funny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seek and You Will Find

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Giddy Geek

 

 

Richard was thigh-deep in sewage and so deep in the sewers that natural light was only a fond memory, though the occasional luminescent fungus made a valiant attempt to replicate it. Part of him wanted very badly to complain about the present situation, but it was held back by two things. The first was the Warrior; as Richard felt that a Warrior would bear circumstances worse than this without complaint, and he felt almost obliged to live up to the reputation he'd unwittingly won.

The other, and more prominent, thing that kept him from complaining was Door. Door wasn't naive enough to believe without question Islington's desperate claim that her sister was alive, but she could hardly ignore it. While he had been back in London Above, Door had spent a great deal of time and resources following the tips given to her (though not without a price) by what seemed half of London Below. For the most part, these had turned out to be unfounded rumor or outright lies and traps.

He'd known she was running out of leads to follow when she asked for his help, but hadn't known just how desperate she was until she'd brought the marquis in. She was so far in debt to him for his help and his death that her grandchildren would likely still owe him favors, and it was no small thing that she'd ask him for another.

The Sewer Folk were essentially Door's last hope. For reasons of their own, unknown to the rest of Below, they'd gone from their usual haunts and retreated deep into the sewers. There were others who, if not able to guide her to them, could at least help her navigate the sewers, but the marquis wouldn't just lead her. His network of connections and favors owed extended even down here. If anyone could find a way to communicate with the silent Sewer Folk and get their assistance, it would be him.

Door was going to be paying him back for a long, long time.

So it was that the three of them were wading through a thick, foul substance that couldn't really be called liquid any longer, and Richard was biting his tongue. Door was absorbed in her problems, and de Carabas was expending most of his energy to act as if even the nastiness currently soaking his clothes couldn't effect his cool demeanor.

Day and night were irrelevant down here, so they stopped to rest when they came upon a ledge that possibly was drier than the area around it. It was rather too small for comfort, and though Richard slept, he did not sleep deeply and was not rested when he awoke. This was largely due to de Carabas. The marquis kicked in his sleep, and when Richard finally woke enough to kick him back, de Carabas gave him a look like an outraged cat.

Richard remembered his aunt's elderly cat who would sleep upon the mantle, and when it woke stretch and fall off more often than not. He half expected, half worried that the marquis would do the same.

Door had wisely slept on the other side of Richard, and had gotten much more sleep than he had.

They set off again after breakfasting on whatever questionable food they had with them. Richard did not go hungry as he would have when he first came to London Below. He had learned a great deal in his time below.

Their journey through the depths of the sewers continued uneventfully. They didn't come across anything that required they defend themselves, which isn't to say that they didn't see monsters. Some of the creatures they glimpsed deep in the sewers might have once been in the same room with above-world animals, but that was the only resemblance they had to anything found in a biology textbook. They also discovered why, perhaps, the Sewer Folk were so silent, as even whispers echoed alarmingly down here, betraying their presence to any who might be listening.

It was only through luck, or perhaps the Sewer Folk taking pity upon them, that they found them at all.

***

It took several days for the marquis to work out a means of getting the information from the Sewer Folk. Once he'd accomplished this he was unbearably smug, which didn't bother Richard nearly as much as he felt it should.

"Well," Door asked when he'd returned to them. "What did you find out?"

The marquis hadn't allowed them to find out his method of communicating with the Sewer Folk. Likely he thought to offer this rare service to others in exchange for outrageously extortionate favors.

Door was looking so agitated at the prospect of having real, tangible evidence that de Carabas didn't draw out the suspense as he otherwise would have. He did have a sense of self preservation, despite what past dealings with her would imply.

"They say that not only have they seen the rumored red haired child traveling with someone not her mother, but the two were in hiding down here. They can lead us to where the two were last seen." He paused. "You do know that she may not be your sister at all."

Door nodded impatiently. "Of course I do. I've had a lot of time to consider the possibilities. Can they take us there now?"

In answer, the marquis turned and led them away.

"Can I ask why you bothered to bring me at all? I haven't done much of anything to help." Richard wouldn't begrudge Door the time spent down here, but it was not among the finest moments of his life.

"Perhaps she just wanted you along for your good looks," de Carabas suggested cheerfully.

"That would be you," Door snapped, while Richard turned an unflattering shade of red. "Richard may not have heard the rumors about you, but he's the only one."

"They still talk about that?" de Carabas looked obscenely pleased at being the subject of gossip.

"Notice he's not denying it," Door pointed out to Richard, who wasn't listening. He was, instead, wishing for hole to crawl in. The marquis leered.

"Can we not talk about this?" Door and de Carabas laughed at Richard's embarrassment. Richard sighed. "Let's go find your sister."

 


End file.
